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A group seeking to keep the name plans to have a rally at the base of a large, iconic Indian statue on Columbus Day.

Some say the timing is tasteless, considering the impact Columbus had on Native American populations.

Jen Poirier is a school board member and the event’s organizer.

She said she did not pick the date specifically as an affront to people who don’t like the mascot name.

“There's no harm meant by a date. It was the most feasible date to have the rally and have it be successful with a number of people being able to show up,” she said. “The people are going to be offended, because we're having a rally. Period. Because they don't know what our group is about."

The group is called Skowhegan Indian Pride.

Members support keeping the name and use a Facebook page to organize fundraisers and share positive memories about the community. Debate about the mascot name is not allowed on the Facebook page, organizers said.

On the same day, another group, called the Skowhegan Indigenous Peoples Day, plans to hold its own rally.

"If there are people who are hurt, offended, insulted, damaged with a label, then I think we should do away with those labels,” business owner Candace Hill said.

In May, school board members voted to keep the current mascot name.

“There (are) lists and lists of schools that use 'Indian,' 'warriors' (and) still 'Redskins,' too. It's not going to be disappearing any time soon," Poirier said.